Sindarov defeats Carlsen and Caruana to lead Cape Town qualifiers

In the opening round of the qualifiers, the 20-year-old Uzbek chess player defeated the world’s top-ranked GM, Magnus Carlsen. This marked Sindarov’s second victory over Carlsen, a major milestone in his professional career.

Sindarov went on to record wins against Iranian grandmaster Parham Maghsoodloo, American players Fabiano Caruana, and Hans Moke Niemann. He drew his games against India’s Arjun Erigaisi, Germany’s Vincent Keymer, and Armenian-American grandmaster Levon Aronian.

With a total of 5.5 points out of a possible 7, Sindarov claimed first place in the qualification standings, earning the right to choose his opponent in the quarterfinals. He selected Parham Maghsoodloo, who finished the qualification stage without a single win.

The quarterfinal matches begin today, with the following pairings confirmed:

• Javokhir Sindarov vs. Parham Maghsoodloo
• Levon Aronian vs. Hans Moke Niemann
• Arjun Erigaisi vs. Vincent Keymer
• Magnus Carlsen vs. Fabiano Caruana

The tournament will run until 11 December and features a total prize fund of $660,000, with the eventual champion set to receive $200,000.